President William Ruto on Thursday, August 13, presided over the passing-out parade of the first cohort of Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) recruits for 2025 at the KDF Recruits Training School in Eldoret.
In a statement, he said the national conversation on Kenya’s transformation beyond 2030 must incorporate the country’s security needs, noting that security and development were closely linked.
"The National Conversation on the transformation of our country beyond 2030 that began yesterday must include the security of the nation we seek to build. Security and development are not competing priorities. Security enables development, and development strengthens security," he wrote.
Ruto said Kenya’s national security priorities must evolve beyond the protection of the country’s borders as the nation looks beyond Vision 2030.
"As we look beyond Vision 2030, national security must extend beyond protecting our borders to securing our digital systems, critical infrastructure, food and energy systems, our territorial waters and the other pillars of a modern economy," he added.
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Ruto noted that the changing nature of warfare required Kenya to prepare for emerging threats in areas including technology, climate and public health.
"At the same time, the battlefield is changing, and Kenya must be prepared for emerging threats occasioned by cyberspace, artificial intelligence, climate shocks and new disease outbreaks, among other frontiers," he further said.
Ruto said the Government would continue supporting the KDF through investments in the welfare of its personnel, training and operational preparedness while strengthening capabilities in emerging areas of national security.
"The Government will continue investing in the welfare, the training, and the readiness of the Kenya Defence Forces (KDF). We will strengthen our capabilities in cybersecurity, intelligence, maritime security, and military medicine," he noted.
Ruto also pledged to ensure that members of the KDF and their families receive recognition and support for their service, while urging the military to prepare for the Kenya of the future.
"We will also ensure that those who serve, and their families, receive the dignity and recognition they have earned. KDF must not simply defend the Kenya of today; it must also secure the Kenya we intend to become," he added.
Ruto congratulated the recruits for completing their training and urged them to uphold courage, discipline and restraint as they begin their service.
"Congratulations to all the graduates on successfully completing a very demanding course. Serve with courage, discipline and restraint," he concluded.
Elsewhere, representatives from 15 member countries of the Association of African Air Forces (AAAF), together with the United States Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa, convened in Nairobi to advance preparations for a multinational air forces exercise scheduled to take place in Kenya in 2027.
In a statement on Monday, August 10, KDF said the representatives met for the Mid Planning Conference at a Nairobi hotel from August 3 to 7 as part of preparations for the inaugural Association of African Air Forces Command Post and Field Training Exercise (AAAFEX CPX/FTX).
KDF said collaboration among African Air Forces remains essential to improving collective capabilities and developing a shared capacity to respond to emergencies.
"Collaboration among African Air Forces is critical to strengthening collective air power, enhancing interoperability and building a shared capacity to respond effectively to humanitarian emergencies and disasters," the statement read.
KDF said the planned exercise is being developed against the backdrop of growing efforts by African air forces to enhance their ability to work together during emergencies and disasters.
"It is against this backdrop that the Association of African Air Forces (AAAF) is preparing to conduct its inaugural Command Post and Field Training Exercise (AAAFEX CPX/FTX), scheduled for 2027 in Kenya," the statement added.
The Mid Planning Conference brought together representatives of the 15 AAAF member countries as well as the United States Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa.
The meeting was aimed at refining the plans and operational procedures that will guide the exercise when it is conducted next year.
"The conference provided a platform to refine the exercise plan, validate the draft AAAFEX Standard Operating Procedures and Concept of Air Operations and Movement, and strengthen interoperability among participating forces," the statement explained.
The exercise will also assess how quickly participating forces can mobilise and coordinate air assets during an emergency.
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